CHAP. V.] THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



a black head. Thus have you a jury of flies likely to betray 

 and condemn all the Trouts in the river. 



I shall next give you some other directions for fly-fishing, 

 such as are given by Mr. Thomas Barker, a gentleman that 

 hath spent much time in fishing ; but I shall do it with a little 

 variation. 



First, let your rod be light, and very gentle : I take the best 

 to be of two pieces. And let not your line exceed, especially 

 for three or four links next to the hook, I say, not exceed 

 three or four hairs at the most, though you may fish a little 

 stronger above in the upper part of your line ; but if you can 

 attain to angle with one hair, you shall have more rises and 

 catch more fish. Now you must be sure not to cumber your- 

 self with too long a line, as most do. And before you begin 

 to angle, cast to have the wind on your back, and the sun, if 

 it shines, to be before you, and to fish down the stream ; and 

 carry the point or top of your rod downward, by which means 

 the shadow of yourself, and rod too, will be the least offensive 

 to the fish ; for the sight of any shade amazes the fish, and 

 spoils your sport, of which you must take a great care. 



In the middle of March, till which time a man should not 

 in honesty catch a Trout ; or in April, if the weather be dark, 

 or a little windy or cloudy, the best fishing is with the Palmer- 

 worm, of which I last spoke to you ; but of these there be 

 divers kinds, or at least of divers colors : these and the May-fly 

 are the ground of all fly-angling, which are to be thus made. 



First, you must arm your hook with the line in the inside of 

 it ; then take your scissors, and cut so much of a brown mal- 

 lard's feather as in your own reason will make the wings of it, 

 you having withal regard to the bigness or littleness of your 

 hook : then lay the outmost part of your feather next to your 

 hook, then the point of your feather next the shank of your 

 hook ; and, having so done, whip it three or four times about 

 the hook with the same silk with which your hook was armed ; 

 and, having made the silk fast, take the hackle of a cock or 



